https://doi.org/10.36866/pn.124.5

Julia Turan, Managing Editor, Physiology News  

To those Physiology News readers I haven’t met yet this is a chance to say hello, and to say farewell as Managing Editor.  

I joined The Society staff just over five years ago and have been Managing Editor of Physiology News, as well as Communications Manager, ever since. During my time at The Society, I’ve worked on 20 issues of the magazine (including this one) and the web version has had over 100,000 unique views.  

I also led on a professional development webinar series during the first lockdown of COVID-19 last year, established a clear and consistent blog that gets several thousand views each month. 

A career in communications would not come as a surprise to people who have known me for a long time. As a kid, I always had a propensity for writing, filling dozens of diaries, and I find that expressing myself in words massively helps me organise my thoughts (read: I love a chat). With hindsight, my initial decision to pursue science communication makes perfect sense. Allow me to explain. 

For my undergraduate degree, I studied neurobiology and was initially aiming to be a lab-based scientist, focusing on basic research. For my undergraduate honour’s thesis, I worked in the fabulous lab of the late Professor Ben Barres, developing a technique to study the role of actin in the ability of oligodendrocytes to form myelin. The aim of this was to understand the basic physiology that is disrupted in the disease multiple sclerosis.  

Multiple sclerosis is a prime example of physiology; while it most directly impacts the brain, the knock-on consequences of the illness can affect many aspects of physiology (vision, movement, memory and many other systems).  

In my final year of university, I discovered the field of science communication and was immediately hooked. While I dabbled in radio initially, I pivoted towards a focus on writing, and have expanded out professionally from there.  

Writing and editing stories for a variety of audiences has been a focus of my role at The Society. Sharing the lives of fascinating physiologists, helping to amplify their voices, has been something I’ve thoroughly enjoyed. 

In a twisted, yet also circular, turn of events two years ago, I was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, making my honours thesis research seem fated and fuelling my passion for science communication further.  

Alongside science communication, my twin passion, so to speak, is equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) work. In addition to running an innovative magazine that showcases Society members and the latest physiology, Dr Keith Siew (Scientific Editor of Physiology News) and I worked to promote EDI as much as possible within the magazine.  

Of course, this isn’t me asking for a pat on the back! Quite the contrary. I’d like to echo messages we’ve published in previous magazines, calling for continued work, by everyone, and especially allies of all underrepresented communities.  

This is a deliberately vague statement because the form that work takes, will vary widely whether we are talking about a charity, a research institute, a lab group, an individual, or other entities within the scientific sector.  

An important step in The Society’s EDI work is currently underway: a strategy is being drafted that will guide The Society’s work in the area going forward. The Society has also done a range of important work in this area to date, which you can read about on our website: physoc.org/diversity. 

I am proud that Keith, the Editorial Board, and I have published two EDI Special Issues in my time at The Society (and hopefully there will be more such Special Issues to come). These featured physiological research aiming to make our scientific knowledge base more equitable, diverse, and inclusive, as well as featuring profiles of people and organisations in this area.  

While this magazine issue does not have a theme, it does include the usual exciting range of physiological topics. The feature articles focus on the importance of using large animal models, the medicinal effects of endocannabinoids, an update from the Human, Environmental and Exercise Early Career Theme Lead, and a historical profile of Gordon Morgan Holmes, including his studies of brain damage in British soldiers wearing a specific type of helmet called the Brodie.  

Before I go, I want to say a huge thank you to my colleagues past and present on the Society staff, the Editorial Board of this magazine, and to Dr Keith Siew. I also want to thank Dr Karen Doyle who stepped down from the Editorial Board after six great years with us, and Dr Angus Brown who has also stepped down but will still be involved with the magazine as Chair of History and Archives.  

You’ve all helped make me learn so much while at The Society and we’ve done great work together.